The Army is being called in to advise the federal government on Australia’s preparedness for a potential outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
Key points:
A task force has been established to advise on Australia’s preparedness to deal with a livestock disease outbreak
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt says the approach will be similar to that taken during a natural disaster
Senator Watt says one million vaccines are set to arrive in Indonesia “very soon”
Australia has been free of the disease, which affects pigs, goats, cattle and sheep, for more than a century, but an outbreak detected in Indonesia in May has authorities on high alert.
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt says the new task force will provide urgent advice over the next four weeks on Australia’s response in the event of a potential outbreak.
“The new exotic animal disease preparedness task force will include officials from a range of government departments, including the Australian Defense Force, Australian Border Force and Animal Health Australia,” Senator Watt said in Canberra.
“By bringing together the best expertise from across government, we can ensure that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities if there were to be an outbreak, and that there are no gaps in our response.”
